PARRIS ISLAND, SC, UNITED STATES

12.10.2013

Recruits of Platoon 3009, India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, practice close-order drill Dec. 10, 2013, on Parris Island, S.C. The purpose of drill is to instill discipline and unit cohesion. Becoming a Marine is not just about being physically fit but also requires becoming a mentally and morally sound warrior. India Company is scheduled to graduate Feb. 14, 2014. (Photo by Cpl. Caitlin Brink) Parris Island has been the site of Marine Corps recruit training since Nov. 1, 1915. Today, approximately 20,000 recruits come to Parris Island annually for the chance to become United States Marines by enduring 13 weeks of rigorous, transformative training. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for 50 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps. (Photo by Cpl. Caitlin Brink)